Emergency response to trauma accidents or life threatening medical incidents, and primary care and treatment of bodily injury and illness are generally provided at the scene by emergency medical units, rescue squads and related personnel operating from ambulances and rescue vehicles. EMS equipment and supplies are stored in boxes, containers or bags in the vehicle and are accessed, retrieved and hand carried from the vehicle for delivering primary care or emergency treatment. In response to an emergency call, emergency medical technicians (EMT's) or other first aid providers generally report to a central location and travel to the scene of a trauma incident with the vehicle. Delivery of primary care and emergency treatment is dependent upon the support system provided by the rescue vehicle.
A disadvantage of the prevailing system for emergency medical and trauma response is that the EMT's, paramedics, and first responders must generally operate from or in association with an ambulance or rescue vehicle in order to deliver primary care with EMS equipment and supplies. There is no independent delivery of primary care by multiple responders and the necessity of retrieving materials and equipment from the vehicle in boxes and containers may delay emergency treatment. Because the EMS materials and supplies are stored at the central source, the number of patients and number of locations that can be served at the same time is also limited. An article of clothing in trademarks Class 25 denominated "a vest adapted to receive and carry first aid supplies" is described in the file history of U.S. Trademark Registration No. 1,086,054. However, an unequipped article of vest clothing is illustrated without specification of the essential equipment and supplies necessary for emergency medical and trauma response and primary care. The structure of the vest garment is unsuited for accommodating and supporting the equipment and supplies necessary for emergency medical treatment and independent and individualized delivery of EMS services. There is no discernible design of the vest for ergonomic and accessible arrangement of the essential supplies.
A variety of vest devices are described for other purposes. The LaBove U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,864 describes a dispensing vest worn by patients for receiving intravenous parenteral nutrition. The Paredes U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,533 describes a safety harness or vest which illuminates the user and increases visibility of the wearer at night. The Clutts U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,526 describes a utility vest for workers carrying workers' tools and supplies while the Roberge U.S. Pat. No. 2,992,433 describes a survival jacket or vest with pockets for carrying survival gear.
The Mossfeld Swedish Pat. No. 218,063 illustrates a vest under the title "Medical Training Vest". The configuration of elongate pockets is for accommodating and holding weights for cardiovascular and muscular conditioning and fitness training. None of these vest articles and garments affords the structures for strategic and ergonomic arrangement and accessibility for a full complement of EMS equipment and supplies for responding to trauma accidents and injuries and medical emergencies and none of them includes the package of such materials necessary for independent and individualized delivery of emergency medical services.